Shoe tree



March1l, 1947. E QHARVEY f 2,417,109

SHOE TREE Filed Aug. 21,1945 L 3 sheets-sheet 1 .,By .H/

.- my@ me f March 11, 1947. E. C. HARVEY 2,417,109

SHOE TREE Filed' Aug. 21, 1945 s sheets-Sheng Attorneys March ll, 194.7.

E. HARVEY f 2,417,109

SHOE TREE .Filed Aug. 21, 194.5 s sheets-sheets Patented Mar. 11,n 1947 SHOE TREE Elwood C. Harvey, Thorndale, Pa., assignor to J. Willard Harvey, Thorndale, Pa.

Application August 21, 1945, Serial No. .611,770

4 Claims.

The invention relates to a shoe tree, and more especially to an adjustable shoe Shaper.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an article of this character which can be regulated to suit various sizes of shoes or other footwear, and which may be easily and quickly placed in or removed from the shoe to maintain the original shape thereto.v

Another object of the invention is the provision of an article of this character which permits of full ventilation to the interior of the shoe, so as to permit the drying thereof if the shoe is wet.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an article of this character which may be made from plastic material or any other light Weight substance or material.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an article of this character which is simple in construction, reliable and effective in operation, strong, durable, neat in appearance, readily and easily adjusted, and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose the preferred embodiment of the invention, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of an article constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the article. y

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the fore or toe end portion of the article, detached.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the part shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of one of the sections of the adjustable connecting link bars of the article.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 'I-'I of Figure 6 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 6 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view taken approximately on the line 9-9 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the other section of the bar.

Figure 11 is a vertical longitudinal sectional viewthrough the section shown in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a sectional View taken on the line I2I2 of Figure 11 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 13 is a side View of the heel fitting part of the article, detached.

Figure 14 is a front elevation of the part shown in Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a rear elevation of the same.

Figure 16 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line IS--IS of Figure 15 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 17 is a sectional View taken on the line I l-Il of Figure 13 looking in the direction of the arrows. l

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the shoe tree or shoe shaper constituting the present invention comprises a typical fore-part model or toe piece of toe form, which may be of any suitable design, size, shape or contour to cooperate with the footwear with which it is intended to be utilized. This fore-part Ill is preferably of hollow shell formation, open at its bottom and at its inner end, with a closed toe tip I I, while the walls and upper side of the longitudinal median of the part have provided therein suitable apertures I2 and I3, respectively.

The apertures I2 and I3 are for the purpose of providing ventilation to the interior of the part II) and also to reduce the weight thereof. It is preferable to make this part I0 from plastic material, although it may be made from any other suitable light weight material having strength and durability. y

Rearwardly of the part l0 and requisitely spaced therefrom is the heel part I4, which also is preferably made from plastic material, but which may be made from any other suitable material, and is formed with an outwardly bulged rear surface I5 contoured to t the wall of the heel of a shoe or other article of footwear. Part I4 is formed with a forwardly directed and vertically disposed upstanding web I6, which is located at the vertical median of such part and in the upper portion thereof is provided a nger loop or eye II, while below the latter and centered therewith is a pivot bearing I8 to which is swingably connected a bifurcated coupling I9, as by a pivot 20. Coupling I9 has formed therewith an elongated hollow straight bar section telescopically interfitting with a tubular connecting bar section 2 l. The bar section 2l at its forward end is adapted for selective pivotal connection with a pair of spaced pivot bearings 22 and 23, respectively, the connection comprising detachable fasteners 24, functioning as pivots for the said section 2l. The fore-part l0 following the longitudinal "nedian portion has depending from the inner surface thereof spaced parallel flanges 25 constituting a way for the bar section 2 i, as best seen in Figures 2, 3 and 5 of the drawings. The bearings 22 and 23 are a part of these ilanges 25. The bar section 2l at its outermost end has fitted in the upper portion thereof, through a suitable aperture a set screw 21 which is adapted for selective threaded engagement with anyone of a series of spaced internally threaded' holes 28 provided longitudinally of the bar section I3. In this manner the fore-part I can be adjusted selectively in spaced relation to the rear part l5 of the article, so that the shoe tree can be properly fitted within any determined sized shoe or other footwear.

Following one outer side face of the bar sec-l tion 2l is a shoe sized scale 29, the digits of which correspond to the location of the holes 28 so that a person can determine at a glance the extent of adjustment of the sections i9 and 2l with relation to each other to increase or decrease the size of the shoe tree according to the size of the shoe to which the same is to be fitted, the

. adjustment being had through the use of the set screw 2l', as best seen in Figure 3 of the drawings.

' The pivots 2li and 24, respectively, afford breakjoints between the parts IE), Il and l5 so that the shoe tree can be clamped within or removed from a shoe or other footwear with ease and dispatch. The finger loop li permits lifting the part l5 in a vertical direction for removing the shoe tree from a shoe.

The shoe tree when within the shoe will maintain the same in good shape and it will be apparent that free Ventilation is provided to the shoe to permit drying when damp.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided a device accomplishing all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

is many embodiments may be made of the inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment herein shown and described it is to be understood that all matter herein to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. A shoe tree including a hollow toe piecel conforming to the shape of a shoe toe, a pair of longitudinally extending, parallel flanges :depending from the top wall of said toe piece, a heel piece having an upstanding inger eye, a plurality of longitudinally spaced, transversely extending apertures in said parallel flanges, a bar selectively and pivotally journaled in said apertures 4 and laterally guided by said flanges, a shaft pivoted to said heel piece and telescopingly engaging said bar, and means for longitudinally and adjustably securing said bar to said sleeve.

2. A shoe tree including a hollow toe piece conforming to the shape of a shoe toe, a pair of longitudinally extending, parallel flanges depending from the top wall of said toe piece, a heel piece having an upstanding finger eye, a plurality of longitudinally spaced, transversely extending apertures in said'parallel ilanges, a bar selectively and pivotally journaled in said apertures and laterally guided by said flanges, a shaft pivoted to said heel piece and telescopingly engaging said bar, and means for longitudinally and adjustably securing said bar to said sleeve, said adjusting means consisting of a fastener carried by said bar and selectively engageable in one of a series of longitudinally spaced bores in said shaft.

3. A shoe tree including a hollow toe piece conforming to the shape of a shoe toe, a pair of longitudinally extending, parallel flanges depending from the top wall of said toe piece, a heel piece having an upstanding finger eye, a plurality of longitudinally spaced, transversely extending apertures in said parallel flanges, a bar selectively and pivotally journaled in said apertures and laterally guided by said flanges, a shaft pivoted to said heel piece and telescopingly engaging said'` bar, and means for longitudinally and adjustably securing said bar to said sleeve, said shaft and said bar being rectangular in crosssection.

4. A. shoe tree including a hollow toe piece conforming to the shapeV of a shoe toe, a pair of longitudinally extending, parallel flanges depending from the top wall of said toe piece, a .heel piece having an upstanding nger eye, a plurality of longitudinally spaced, transversely extending apertures in said parallel flanges, a bar selectively and pivotally journaled in said apertures and laterally guided by said flanges, a shaft pivoted to said heel piece and telescopingly engaging said bar, and means for longitudinally and adjustably securing said bar to said sleeve, said bar being hollow and telescoping over said shaft.

ELWOOD C. HARVEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of reco-rd in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,364,468 Wilson Jan. 4, 1921 1,849,753 Conner Mar. l5, 1932 1,116,666 Anderson Nov. l0, 1914 1,733,041 Wilson Oct. .22, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 165,295 Brit June 30, 1921 15,549 Fr. July 25, 1912 101,819 Switzerland Oct. 16, 1923 

